Container



Aug. 29, 1933. D, H ZELL 1,924,897

CONTAINER Filed April 11, 1931 INVENTOR.

film/iii. Z all Patented Aug. 29, 1933 UNiTED STATES? 1,924,897

CGNTAINEE David H. Bell, Br

Application April 11, 1931.

i 4 Claims. (61.

This invention relates to containers, and in c form, construction and relative arthe embodiment thereof which I have selected for purposes of illustration, 1 have shown the several novel features of the invention as 5 plied to a bank or other cell ction receptacle of analogous character, and more particularly to a book form coin bank provided with parts which more or less realistically simulate the bind-- ing of a book and the edges of the heel: leaves 19 exposed between the spaced covers there It is the primary object and purpose of my present invention to provide a container this type having a hingedly movable door or closure at one end provided with a key-actuated locking device and which constitu es a part of the means representing or simulating the book leaves, together with means for securely though detachably retaining the leaf simulating 1 cans in connection with the body of the bank whereby when the finished or exposed sun ce of said leaf simulating means becomes dulled or unsightly, said means may be readily replaced to restore the bank to its original condition in this respect, at trifling expense.

It is also an object of my present invention to provide simple and effective means for detachably securing the locking device to the part of the leaf simulating means constituting the hinged door orclosure so that this locking device may be easily and quickly removed and applied to the new closure to be substituted, thus minimizing the expense incident to replacement of such parts.

It is also a further object of my invention to provide a book form coin bank ving the spaced side walls thereof preferably integrally connected with each other at the back of the bank, and an L-shaped strip constituting front end edge walls of the bank rigidly secured between and connecting said side walls, together with an L-shaped sheet metal facing strip simulating the book leaves and means for detachably retaining the same in fixed relation to said side and end edge walls of the bank. The body walls of the bank are faced with leather or imitation leather simulating the binding of a book. When this facing becomes rubbed, soiled, or unduly worn, it may be easily removed and a new facing applied. Thus, after a long period of use, with the renewable means which simulates the book leaves as above explained, practically a new bank to all appearances, may be produced at very small cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the inventionv consists in the improved container,

of its several arts, as will be hereully illustrated in the asubsequently ined in the sub-3o d claims.

the rawing, wherein l have disclosed one simple and practical embodment of my present invention, and in which si lar reference characters dewgnate corresponding parts throughout the several views,-

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a heel: form bank in a plane substantially midway between the side walls thereof and showing one preferred embodiment of my present improvements;

Fig. large of El Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, and

4. is a detail perspective view of the detachable book leaf simulating means.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 and 6 respectively indicate the opposite side walls of the body of the bank which are of heavy sheet metal plate, preferably integrally connected at their corresponding longitudinal edges by the transversely curved wall 7 which corresponds to the back or rear edge wall of a book binding. The outer surfaces of the body walls 5, 6 and '7 are preferably covered with leather or other material in imitation thereof as indicated at 8. This covering preferably consists of a single continuous sheet tightly stretched over the surfaces of the container walls and having its marginal edges inwardly turned around the edges of said walls and suitably secured upon the inner faces thereof as shown at 9, as by of a suitable adhesive. This covering sheet may be provided by embossing or otherwise with any d ed ornamentation, the name of the bank or other institution to whose depositors the book banks are distributed, and other appropriate advertising matter. Preferably, I apply to the covering material at the front corners of the side plates 5 and 6, suitable ornamental corner plates indicated at 10.

The front edge wall and one end edge wall of the bank body are formed from an L-shaped strip of hard metal, the part 11 thereof which constitutes the front wall, and the part 12 constituting the end wall being substantially equidistantly spaced inwardly from the corresponding longitudinal and end edges of the side walls 5 and 6. While this L-shaped metal strip may be permanently and rigidly fixed in position between drawing,

is a transverse sectional View on an encale taken substantially on. the line 22 the side walls of the bank body in various ways, as one simple and inexpensive method of assembling the parts, I preferably provide each of the side w lie 5 and 6 in spaced relation to its longitudinal edge with a plurality of inwardly struck tongues or lugs as shown at 13, and also in spaced relation to one of its end edges with similar inwardly struck tongues 14. These tongues 13 and 14 are engaged against the outer sides of the parts 11 and 12 respectively, of the L-shaped metal strip, said parts of the strip and the tongues being securely and permanently welded together. The rear end of the part 12 of said metal strip abuts closely against the inner surface of the rear or back wall 7 of the bank body and is provided with a notch or recess 15 for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained.

This part 12 of the strip is also provided with longitudinally extending coin insertion slot 16 and to said strip at the inner side of said slot a coin check or guard device indicated at 17 is cured to prevent outward movement of the sorted coins from the interior of the bank t'nr the slot 16. Any preferred type of coin check be employed, the illustrated devi e forming essential part of my present invention.

At the other or open end of the bank body, there is permanently and rigidly secured to the 1 or back wall 7 thereof, a metal plate 18 extend longitudinally of said wall and being provided at its outer end with an angularly OfTSQl) inwardly projecting keeper lug indicated 15) with which the belt of the locking device to be hereinafter referred to is adapted to cooperate. At this nd of the bank body, I also permanently welding or otherwise to the inner side of each of the side walls 5 and 6, a horizo metal plate 20 having an outer er o portion 21' inwardly offset and spaced from the inner of the body wall to thereby provide the channels indicated at 22 for the reception of parts of the hinged door or closure.

With the body structure of the bank as above described the ornamental facing for the front and end edge walls 11 and 12 and the door or closure for the open end of the bank are now dctachably assembled. This renewable facing for the front and end edge walls of the bank includes an L-shaped metal strip preferably of thin sheet brass, the parts 23 and 24 of this strip being provided upon their longitudinal edges with narrow flanges indicated at 25 and 26 respectively, which are adapted to reinforce the metal strip and by contact with the lugs 13 and 14 of the bank body retain the parts 23 and 24 of the facing strip in spaced parallel relation to the corresponding sections 11 and 12 of the L-shaped metal plate forming the front and end edge walls of the bank.

The end section 24 of the facing strip terminates in an inwardly projecting lug or finger 2'! which is adapted to be fitted through the notch or recess 15 in the end wall 12 of the bank and have close resilient frictional bearing contact against the base edge of this notch or recess.

The free end of the facing strip section 23 is turned or bent inwardly and has its extremity disposed in spaced parallel relation to the inner face of said strip as indicated at 28'. said bent or hooked end of the strip being slotted as at 29.

The door or closure 30 for the bank also consists of a channel shaped metal strip of sheet brass provided at one of its ends with a relatively narrow hinge sleeve 31 adapted to be fitted within the slot 29, said sleeve and the ends of the hook or loop 28 in alignment therewith receiving the hinge pintle indicated at 32. The door plate 30 has longitu al flanges 33 of appreciably greater width than the flanges 25 and 26 on the L-shaped facing strip. Within this channel shaped door plate 3G, the lock housing 34 is adapted to be arranged, said housing at one of its ends abutting closel against the hinge sleeve 31. This housing is srovided with longitudinally extending side which closely against the inner faces of the flanges 33 of the door plate. These flanges 33 are provided with longitudinally spaced indentations or internal protuberances indicated at 36 which overlie the flanges 35 of the lock housing, and also with the additional protuberances or indentations 37 in the plane of said flanges and projecting over the end edges thereof at the free end of one door plate 30. Thus, without employadditional mechanical fastening elements such as rivets or the like, the lock housing is detachably though rigidly and securely fixed in sseinbled relation with the door plate 30. The lock mechanism contained within the housing 34 may be of any conventional type, and includes the longitudinally shiftable locking bolt 38 havinto slots 4; inzlled in the housing wall at one end thereof. flanges have beveled or inclined sin-Fees ind l 42 adapted to ride upon t1 .rc 9 when the door is moved inwardly on whereby the bolt is forced backward into the col: casing, and then projected by -lsual as to engage the bolt c lug 19. The door plate pro .ded with the usual key rcwn -13 the insertion of the nose bone lock opera When the L plate 30 manner above in its closed p:

el. facing strip with the door 19d to the bank structure, in the ribed and the door 30 is locked on as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, it will be nt that said door and the L -shaped facing strip are rigidly secured in their attached positions with respect to the pcrmanently fired parts of the bank structure. When the door 30 is moved to closed position, the side flanges thereof are snugly received in the channe s 1-32 between the side walls of the bank and the offset parts 21 by plate 20. The free end of the door plate contacts with the keeper 19 to limit inward movement thereof, while the bolt nose 39 engaging under said keeper lug thus securely fixes the door in closed position against any appreciable relative movement at the hinge pintle 32. The ends of the flanges 33 at the hinged end of the door, being in close relation to the end of the front wall 11 of the bank structure, will effectually prevent any lateral displacement of the door or the facing strip 23, 24 with respect to the bank walls so that the parts of the facing strip, by the resilient frictional gripping engagement of lug 2'7 with the base of the notch 15, will immovably retain the several parts of the facing strip in assembled relation with the bank walls.

It will be understood, that if desired, in stamping or pressing out the parts 23 and 24 of the facing strip and the door plate 30, the same may be formed with longitudinal ribs or corrugations somewhat as indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawing, in close simulation of the edges of the individual book leaves.

After the bank has been in use for some time, the polished or finished surfaces of the parts 23, 24 and 30 may become dulled or marred, and

the leather covering 8 on the walls of the bank body may also be rubbed or torn so that the bank will have a dingy unattractive appearance. In such case, the door 30 is first opened with the use of the proper key and the part 24 of the ornamental facing strip is pried outwardly away from the end wall of the bank to withdraw the holding lug or finger 27 thereon from the recess 15. By then merely expanding or forcing the side flanges 33 of the door plate 30 outwardly, the housing 34 with the lock mechanism contained therein may be easily detached and removed from said door plate. If the lock mechanism is in good condition, it may then be readily attached to a new door plate, and a new L-shaped facing strip 23, 24 after the new door is hingedly connected with the part 23 of said strip, is then applied to the walls 11 and 12 of the bank structure. Of course, if it is necessary to renew the covering 8 on the bank walls, the old covering is first easily stripped therefrom, and the new covering applied. After then attaching the new facing strip and the door plate and locking the door in its closed position, the book form bank will possess its original appearance of newness. Therefore, it will be seen that the body structure of the bank may be used indefinitely, reducing to a material extent the expense involved in the use of such coin collectors by banking institutions, since the renewable or replaceable parts being of inexpensive materials, and capable of production in large quantities at very low cost and easily and quickly applicable with but little manual labor, would involve only a negligible expenditure in comparison with the original cost of the bank.

I have herein shown and described an embodiment of my present improvements which has been found highly satisfactory in actual use, nevertheless it is to be understood that the essential features thereof might also be embodied in various other structural forms, and I therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate modifications thereof as may be fairly considered within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A container comprising spaced side walls, means rigidly connecting and spacing said side walls apart, means representing edge walls of the container including a movable section constituting a door or closure for the container, means for detachably retaining said last named means in assembled relation with said side walls of the container whereby said wall representing means of the container may be renewed, a locking device, and means for detachably and interchangeably mounting the locking device upon the door sec tions of said wall representing means.

2. A container comprising spaced side walls and a rear wall connecting said side walls along one of their longitudinal edges, an L-shaped metal strip forming front and end edge walls of the container positioned between said side walls, means for rigidly and permanently securing said L-shaped strip to the side valls, an ornamental facing strip of heet metal for said front and end walls of the container, a door or closure hingedly connected with one end of said facing strip and closing the other end of the container, means for detachably retaining said facing strip and the door or closure in assembled relation with said side and end walls of the container, and means for releasably retaining said door in its closed position.

3. A container simulating a book and comprisin spaced side walls and an integral connection between said walls representing the back of the book, an L-shaped metal strip constituting front and end walls for the container positioned between said side walls in spaced relation to the corresponding edges thereof, means for rigidly and permanently securing said metal strip to the side walls, an L-shaped facing strip of sheet metal for said front and end walls of the container, a door 0.: closure liingedly connected with one end of said strip to close the other end of the container, said facing strip and the closure sirnulat ing the book leaves, means for releasably locking the closure in closed position, and means for detachably retaining the L-shaped facing strip in assembled relation to the front and end walls of the container.

l. A container simulating a book and comprising spaced side Walls and an integral connection between said walls representing the back of the book, an L-shaped metal strip constituting front and end walls for the container positioned between said side walls in spaced relation to the corresponding edges thereof, means for rigidly and permanently securing said metal strip to the side walls, an L-shaped facing strip of sheet metal for said front and end walls of the container, a door or closure hingedly connected with one end of said facing strip to close the other end of the container, said facing strip and the closure simulating the book leaves, means for releasably locking the closure in its closed position, said end wall of the container adjacent to the rear wall thereof being provided with a recess, and an angularly projecting lug on the other end of said L-shaped facing strip extending inwardly through said recess and coasting with the end wall of the container to detachably retain said facing strip in assembled relation to the front and end walls of the container.

DAVID H. ZELL. 

